There aren’t words to describe the sadness I feel about the accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. It’s a very emotional time for all involved, and it is the reason I’ve decided not to participate in today’s race at Watkins Glen. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and everyone affected by this tragedy.

12. Stewart only returned to sprint car racing last month, nearly a year after he broke his leg in a serious crash.

The accident cost him the second-half of the NASCAR season, and he didn’t return to racing in any form until February when preparation for NASCAR’s season-opening Daytona 500 began. He refused to stop his extracurricular racing despite the injury and was scheduled to race Sunday.